Powering firearm accessories with a false battery

ABSTRACT

Electrically powered firearm mounting rails are designed to provide electrical power to firearm accessories. A power clamp can tap into the rail electrical power and pass it to other items requiring electrical power. Principal among those items are firearm accessories having battery compartments and designed to be powered by batteries. The power clamp can be connected to power terminals in the battery compartment directly through additional circuitry, through modified battery covers, through false batteries, or through dummy batteries. In this manner, the need to install batteries in the firearm accessory is relaxed and the weight balance of the firearm improved.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/286,835 titled “Battery Adaptive Device” and filed on Nov. 1, 2011 which is herein included by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments are generally related to firearms, Picatinny rails, firearm rail systems, batteries, and firearm accessories.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Firearms, particularly military style carbines and rifles, are often outfitted with rail systems. Historically, Picatinny rails were attached to or formed into the upper receivers of M-16 style firearms to which sights such as scopes, red dots, and even iron sights have been mounted. Over time, more and more mounting rails have been added with current models having mounting rails on the receiver and four mounting rails on the forward hand guard. The reason is that a vast number of rail mountable firearm accessories have become available. Examples of these firearm accessories include the aforementioned sights, lasers, flashlights, bayonets, grenade launchers, sling swivels, cameras, bipods, vertical fore grips, and other items.

A number of the firearm accessories are electrically powered. Many solutions simply include battery compartments. For example, a flashlight accessory is basically a battery powered flashlight with rail compatible mount points. More recently, solutions are being developed for electrifying the firearms and rail systems. Hines (U.S. Pat. No. 7,627,975) and Thompson (US Patent Application 2011/0000120) teach bringing electrical power to forward mounted accessories, Darian (US Patent Applications 2010/0192446, 2010/0192448, and 2011/0131858) also teaches powering firearm accessories from a firearm rail. Among the advantages of electrified rail systems is that the batteries and the active components can be located separately to reduce the weight at the front of the firearm. A carbine can be unwieldy if it has numerous accessories with batteries attached to the fore grip. Electrified rail systems allow those forward mounted parts to be much lighter because the batteries are located elsewhere. A new generation of firearms having electrified rail systems and compatible accessories is being introduced.

There are a large number of parts and products for the previous non-electrified firearms systems already in production and in the field. Systems and methods providing forward and backward compatibility between different generations of electrified and non-electrified firearms and rail systems are needed.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the present invention and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.

There are a great number of battery powered firearm accessories on the market. Examples include laser designators and flashlights. They are designed to mount on a firearm rail and thereby enhance the function of the firearm. They also have battery compartments such that the firearm accessory can be electrically powered by batteries installed in the battery compartment. The firearm accessories have battery compartments because they are designed for a generation of firearms that lack electrically powered rail systems.

It is therefore an aspect of the embodiments to electrically power a firearm accessory by directing the electrical power from a powered firearm rail and into the firearm accessory's battery compartment. A battery compartment has at least one power terminal and typically has a positive terminal and a negative terminal that are intended to make electrical contact with the positive and negative poles (aka battery terminals) of batteries that are installed in the battery compartment. In many cases the battery compartment itself or its cover, the battery cover, contains circuitry (actually just electrically connected terminals) that connect batteries in series such that the accessory receives 3V when two 1.5V batteries are inserted in the battery compartment and the battery cover properly installed.

It is therefore an additional aspect of the embodiments that a power clamp attached to a powered firearm rail can accept electrical power from that powered firearm rail and pass it to the power terminals. The simplest embodiment would have insulated wires forming a direct electrical connection between the power clamp and the power terminals. Such an embodiment, however, could leave the battery compartment open to the environment. As such, a variety of means for powering the accessory from a power clamp are provided wherein the battery compartment is sealed. Some such means includes modification or replacement of the battery cover. Other such means include combinations of false batteries and seals that seal the gap between the false battery and sides of the battery compartment.

Further aspects of some embodiments include power matching circuitry that conditions the electrical power provided by the rail such that it is compatible with the firearm accessory. For example, the powered rail can provide 5V while a flashlight requires 1.5V and a laser requires 9V. DC-to-DC voltage converters can easily handle the required conditioning. Similar circuits that can help meet power conditioning needs include DC-to-AC converters and AC-to-DC converters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the embodiments and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates an empowered mounting rail fastened to a quad-rail in accordance with aspects of the embodiments;

FIG. 2 illustrates a power clamp and a false battery connected by insulated wires in accordance with aspects of the embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates a power clamp and two false batteries connected by insulated wires in accordance with aspects of the embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates an expanding seal keeping detritus out of a battery compartment in accordance with aspects of the embodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates a high level system diagram of a firearm equipped with a powered firearm rails and a powered accessory obtaining power in accordance with aspects of the embodiments;

FIG. 6 illustrates internal and external power connections in accordance with aspects of the embodiments;

FIG. 7 illustrates a power matching circuit in accordance with aspects of the embodiments;

FIG. 8 illustrates a high level diagram of a system that selects between rail power and battery power in accordance with aspects of the embodiments;

FIG. 9 illustrates a false battery containing a power matching circuit in accordance with aspects of the embodiments; and

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative battery presence sensor for use in a system similar to that diagrammed in FIG. 8 in accordance with aspects of the embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate at least one embodiment and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.

Electrically powered firearm mounting rails are designed to provide electrical power to firearm accessories. A power clamp can tap into the rail electrical power and pass it to other items requiring electrical power. Principal among those items are firearm accessories having battery compartments and designed to be powered by batteries. The power clamp can be connected to power terminals in the battery compartment directly through additional circuitry, through modified battery covers, through false batteries, or through dummy batteries. In this manner, the need to install batteries in the firearm accessory is relaxed and the weight balance of the firearm improved.

FIG. 1 illustrates an empowered mounting rail 101 fastened to a quad-rail 102 in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. Quad-rails are typically mounted on a rifle or carbine in place of a smooth handguard or forward stock. A quad-rail 102 has four mounting rails 103, 106. The mounting rails 103, 106 illustrated are Picatinny rails. An empowered mounting rail 101 is attached to the top mounting rail 103 and a flashlight accessory 107 is attached to the empowered mounting rail 101. The illustrated flashlight 107 has no battery compartment because it is designed to obtain electrical power from the empowered mounting rail 101. The empowered mounting rail 101 has a battery compartment 104 with a battery cover 105. Removing the battery cover 105 provides access to the interior of the battery compartment such that batteries or false batteries can be installed. Another option is that opening the battery compartment provides access to the power terminals inside.

FIG. 2 illustrates a power clamp 202 and a false battery 201 connected by insulated wires 203 in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The power clamp 202 can be clamped onto an electrically powered mounting rail and interface with the electrically powered mounting rail's electrical contacts. Electrical power can then be passed through the insulated wires 203 to the false battery. As illustrated, the insulated wires 203 can include one, two, or more conductors (each individually insulated) within an outer sheath. The false battery 201 illustrated in FIG. 2 is dimensioned to mimic an AA battery. As with an AA battery, the false battery has a positive terminal 204 and a negative terminal 205. A hole in the cover of a battery compartment can accommodate the insulated wire 203, particularly when the battery cover has a contact (often a spring shaped conductor) intended to interface with the negative contact.

Many devices have battery compartments with electrically conductive sidewalls or conductors along the sidewalls. Such devices often have battery covers that electrically connect one of the battery terminals to the sidewall. The false battery can have a sidewall facing terminal 207 that directly contacts the sidewall conductor, thereby effectively bypassing the need for a contact in the battery cover. Furthermore, the sidewall facing terminal 207 can be constructed to press against the battery compartment sidewall. Tightening a bolt or screw can squeeze rubberized material such that it presses the sidewall facing terminal 207 outward against the battery compartment sidewall. Similarly, a cam can be rotated to cause the needed expansion.

A set screw 206 in the power clamp 202 can be tightened to engage a mounting rail slot and also to press the clamp's electrical interface into contact with the rail's electrical interface to thereby electrically power the clamp.

FIG. 3 illustrates a power clamp 302 and two false batteries 301, 303 connected by insulated wires in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The two false batteries can be mimicking a system having two batteries in parallel or one having two batteries in series. If in parallel, then the two batteries are both acting the same and are substantially the same as the false battery 201 of FIG. 2. If in series, then terminals 304 and 305 differ in that one is negative and the other positive. If mimicking standard 1.5V batteries, then the potential difference between the two terminals for the series configuration is 3V.

FIG. 4 illustrates an expanding seal 403 keeping detritus out of a battery compartment 401 in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The battery compartment 401 contains a False battery 402 pressed against at least one power terminal 407 at the forward end. A false 9V battery, having two battery terminals on one end, could press both terminals into the power terminals 407 and have a very simple expanding seal 403 at the back end. In fact, a simple gasket can be pressed between the false battery 402 and the sides of the battery compartment 401. A false AA battery could press one battery terminal into a power terminal 407 but could require a more complicated seal. In the case where the battery compartment sidewalls 406 are designed to carry electrical power and the conductors are accessible, the seal can provide an electrical connection between the false battery 402 and the sidewall 406. Note that the seal can be a part of the battery or can be a separate gasket type element. A separate gasket type element can be designed to conduct electrical power from a battery terminal and into a battery compartment sidewall or other conductive element. Pressing the gasket into the gap between false battery and sidewall can seal the battery compartment and also provide the needed conductive path for electrical power.

FIG. 5 illustrates a high level system diagram of a firearm 505 equipped with a powered firearm rail 503 and a powered accessory 101 obtaining power in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. An electrical power source 506 inside or attached to the firearm 505 can provide electrical power to the powered firearm rail 503. A power clamp 202 is clamped onto the powered firearm rail 503 to create an electrical connection 507 with the powered firearm rail 503 and thereby with the power source 506. Electrical power can be passed through the battery cover 502 to a false battery 201. The battery holder 501 contains power terminals that receive electrical power to thereby power the powered accessory 101. The false battery 201 receives electrical power from the power source 506 and passes it to the powered accessory.

FIG. 6 illustrates internal and external power connections in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. The false batteries of certain embodiments are not needed when wired connections or otherwise conductive connections to internal power connections are used. A powered accessory 601 with a battery compartment 602 can be designed to be powered by properly installed batteries. A modified or replacement battery cover 604 can pass electrical power from the power clamp through an external power connector 605 and directly into internal power connections 603. The battery cover can be electrically connected to the internal power connections.

For example, a prior art battery cover for an AA powered device can electrically connect the battery's negative terminal to the compartment sidewall and press the positive terminal into a positive terminal. A different battery cover 604 can include an external power connection 605 and electrically connect the negative pole from a power clamp 202 to the sidewall and the positive pole to an internal power connection 603. The electrical connection for the positive pole can be a wire between the battery cover 604 and the internal power connection 603 or can be any other conductor such as a dummy battery that merely conducts from one end to the other. The external power connection 605 can use an electrical plug/socket, a power jack, magnetically attracted terminals, or even a USB socket/plug arrangement.

An alternative arrangement is to design the powered accessory 601 to accept batteries or to receive electrical power from a connector plugged directly into the internal power connection and electrically connected to the battery cover 604. In any case, the removal of the battery opens up a small storage volume. Furthermore, false batteries and dummy batteries can contain small storage volumes.

FIG. 7 illustrates a power matching circuit 702 in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. Powered firearm rails provide electrical power having a specified voltage. The specified voltage can be different from the voltage required by firearm accessories. A power matching circuit 702 can condition the electrical power obtained from the power clamp to match the power required by the accessory. For example, a powered mounting rail can provide electrical power at 6V. A power matching circuit 702 can step up the voltage to 9V before passing it to a 9V false battery 701. In this manner a 6V rail sources electrical power having a 9V potential difference between a positive terminal 704 and a negative terminal 703. Power matching circuits can step voltages, either AC or DC, up or down. Power matching circuits can also convert AC to DC or convert DC to AC.

FIG. 8 illustrates a high level diagram of a system that selects between rail power and battery power in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. Electrical power can be obtained from a battery 801, a power clamp 202 on a powered mounting rail, or both. A voltage sensor 802 can detect the presence of a battery 801 if the battery is not discharged. The voltage sensor 802 can control a switch 803 that connects the battery terminals to the low terminal 804 and the high terminal 805. The switch can also control a source indicator 806, such as a light emitting diode, that indicates when electrical power is coming from the battery or from the power clamp. A diode 807 can prevent battery power from going to the clamp 202. If diode 807 is a LED, then it can light up when electricity passes from the clamp 202 to the firearm accessory, thereby duplicating some function of the switch controlled indicator 806. A similar LED at the battery output can indicate that power flow. The diode 807 should not be used when powering the clamp 202 from the battery 801 is desired. Note that swapping the battery 801 and clamp 202 elements results in the voltage sensor detecting voltage at the clamp 202 instead of at the battery 801.

FIG. 9 illustrates a false battery 901 containing a power matching circuit 902 in accordance with aspects of the embodiments.

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative battery presence sensor for use in a system similar to that diagrammed in FIG. 8 in accordance with aspects of the embodiments. Installing a battery 801 in a battery compartment 1002 can depress a switch 1001. The charge/discharge state of the battery 801 does not affect physically activated sensors such as switch 1001.

It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also, that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for supplying electrical power to a firearm accessory wherein the firearm accessory comprises a battery compartment that comprises at least one power terminal, wherein the firearm accessory is designed to obtain electrical power from at least one battery inside the battery compartment and electrically connected directly to the at least one power terminal, and the system comprising: a power clamp that clamps onto an electrically powered firearm rail, wherein the power clamp obtains electrical power from the powered firearm rail, and a means for transferring the electrical power from the power clamp and into the firearm accessory to thereby electrically power the firearm accessory from the power clamp.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrically powered firearm rail meets the dimensional specifications of a Picatinny rail and wherein the clamp comprises a rail mount.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for transferring the electrical power comprises an insulated wire between the power clamp and the firearm accessory.
 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for transferring the electrical power comprises: a battery cover fitting over the battery compartment wherein the battery cover comprises an external power connection and an internal power connection, wherein the external power connection receives the electrical power from the power clamp, and wherein the at least one power terminal receives the electrical power from the internal power connection.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein a false battery passes the electrical power between the internal power connection and the at least one power terminal wherein the false battery has the same size and shape as the at least one battery.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the false battery comprises a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a direct electrical connection between the positive terminal and the negative terminal.
 7. The system of claim 4 wherein at least one wire passes the electrical power directly between the internal power connection and the at least one power terminal.
 8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a voltage sensor that electrically disconnects the power clamp from the at least one power terminal when at least one battery is installed in the battery compartment.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the battery sensor comprises a voltage sensor.
 10. The system of claim 8 wherein the battery sensor is not electrically powered.
 11. The system of claim 8 further comprising a source indicator that indicates where the electrical power reaching the at least one power terminal is coming from.
 12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a battery sensor that electrically disconnects the power clamp from the at least one power terminal when the at least one battery is installed.
 13. The system of claim 12 wherein the battery sensor comprises a voltage sensor.
 14. The system of claim 12 wherein the battery sensor is not electrically powered.
 15. The system of claim 12 further comprising a source indicator that indicates where the electrical power reaching the at least one power terminal is coming from.
 16. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for transferring the electrical power from the power clamp and into the firearm accessory comprises: a false battery having the same size and shape as the battery, wherein the false battery is installed in the battery compartment and wherein the false battery is electrically directly connected to the power clamp by at least one wire.
 17. The system of claim 16 further comprising an expanding seal that seals the false battery within battery compartment.
 18. The system of claim 17 wherein the false battery has a plurality of electrical terminals wherein at least one of the electrical terminals directly contacts at least one of the power terminals to thereby conduct the electrical power between the false battery and the firearm accessory.
 19. The system of claim 18 wherein the expanding seal comprises a means for electrically connecting another of the at least one electrical terminals to another one of the at least one power terminals.
 20. The system of claim 19 further comprising power matching circuit wherein the electrically powered firearm rail supplies electrical power that is not compatible with firearm accessory and wherein matching circuit conditions the electrical power to thereby provide the firearm accessory with compatible electrical power. 